Warp stop-motion for looms.



No. 783,143. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905.. 1

A. SGHOULER.

WARP STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.9, 1903..

extreme position.

UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT Orricn.

ANDREW SOHOULER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COM- PANY, OFHOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

W'ARP STOP-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,143, dated February21, 1905, Application filed October 9,1903. Serial No. 176,853.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW SoHoULER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented an Improvement in Warp Stop-Motions for Looms, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings,isa specification, like figures on the drawings representing like parts.

In my copending application, Serial No. 176,352, filed October 9, 1903,I have illustrated and described a warp stop-motion for looms comprisingdetectors which are associated with the ordinary heddles of flexiblematerial-such as twine, cord, wire, &c.and a vibrating feelercooperating with said detectors upon the breakage of any warp-thread tostop the loom. In said application the invention is illustrated asapplied to a plainloom. a form of my invention which is adapted to beapplied to a fancy-loom where a large number of harnesses are employed.In thus applying my invention to a 'fancy-loom I have made each of theharness-frames in two parts, which are movable relative to each otherand which are moved away from each other or spread when carried into oneextreme position and are moved toward each other or are closed togetherwhen carried into the other The feeler is mounted upon one part of theframe, and the heddles are carried by the other part thereof, and adetector is secured to each of the heddles. When the two parts of theframe are closed together, the feeler is actuated by such relativemovement of the parts and swung toward the detectors, which at this timeare held out of the path of the feeler bythe tension on thewarp-threads.

If any warp-thread is broken, the corresponding detector will obviouslynot be lifted out of the path of the feeler and by remaining thereinwill cooperate with the feeler to stop the loom.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a fancy loom,showing one harnessframe having my invention applied thereto.

In this application I have illustrated- Fig. 2 is a vertical section onthe line Fig. 1, through the harness-frame, showing the position of theparts when the warps are in the upper plane of the shed. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the position of the parts when the warps are in thelower plane of the shed; and Fig. 1 is a section on the line 59 3 Fig.1.

3 designates a harness-frame, which is operated by any suitable or usualdobby mechanism 4;, such as are commonly employed on fancy looms. Asherein illustrated, the harness-frame is positively raised by the dobbymechanism and is pulled into its lower position by means of the usualsprings. (Not shown.) Said frame is made in two parts, which are movablerelative to each other. The harness-frame is divided horizontally-thatis, the sides of said frame are divided-so that the frame may beextended or collapsed in a vertical direction. The upper portions of thesides of the heddle-frame, which are rigidly secured to the upper rail 7thereof, have rigidly secured thereto the sleeves or guides 110, inwhich the upper ends of the lower portions 12 of the sides telescope,said portions 12 each having the pin 13 playing in a slot 14: in thecorresponding sleeve for the purpose of limiting the extent of movementof the two parts. Springs 15 yieldingly hold the two parts of the frametogether.

10 designates the feeler, which is mounted to turn about a rod orpivotal shaft 11, carried by the lower rail 9 of the heddle-frame. Thefeeler is normally held in its retracted position, or that shown inFigs. 2 and 4, by any suitable means, such as springs 16, which arefastened at one end to the feeler and at the other end to any suitablefixed support, as the rod 11.

Secured to the. bottom of each heddle is a detector 17, which cooperateswith the feeler to stop the loom upon the breakage of a warpthread, aswill be presently described. The lower end of each heddle is made withan elongated loop 18, through which passes a guide-bar 19, extendingacross the heddleframe, said guide-bar operating to hold the bottom endsof the heddles in proper position and the loop permitting the verticalmovement of the heddles with relation to the heddle-frame.

The springs are made weaker than the spring 6, and as a result when theharnessframe is lifted by the dobby mechanism the springs 15 will firstbe stretched and the harness-frame separated as much as the slots 14will permit, and thereafter the springs 6 will be stretched, while theharness-frame an entirety moves upward. During the lowering movement ofthe harness-frame the stronger spring 6 will first pull the frame as anentirety downward, and thereafter the springs 15 will contract and thetwo parts of the heddle-frame.

frame is moved into its lowered position to carry the warp-threads intothe lower plane of the shed and the two parts of the harnessframe areclosed together, as above described, the detectors 17 would naturally belowered sufficiently to be brought into the path of the feeler 10 exceptfor the tension on the warpthreads, which raises the heddles withrelation to the harness-frame and holds the detectors elevated abovethefeeler, as seen in Fig. 3. So long as the warp-threads are intact,therefore, all of the detectors are held out of the path of the feeler.If, however, any warpthread becomes broken, the corresponding heddlewill fail to be raised when the harnessframe is depressed, and thecorresponding detector will therefore be carried into the path of thefeeler when the two parts of the harness-frame close together.

I have herein shown means for vibrating the feeler by or through themovements of the two parts of the frame relative to each other, and forthis purpose the feeler is provided at each end with an arm 20, which isacted upon by pendent arms 21, secured to the upper portions 100 of theharness-frame sides. As stated above, the spring 16 normally holds thefeeler retracted, as shown in Figs. 2 and st. During the time when thetwo parts of the harness-frame move toward each other the pendent arms21 are brought against the arms 20, and the feeler is rocked toward thedetector and carried into the position shown in Fig. 3. So long as thewarp-threads are all intact the feeler has perfect freedom of movement;but if any warp-thread breaks the feeler upon its forward movementstrikes the corresponding detector and crowds the same against thestopguard 25, extending across the harness-frame,

and through some suitable mechanism operates to stop the loom. As hereinshown, the stop-guard 25 and the feeler 10 are both insulated from theharness-frame and are in an electric circuit which includes any suitablestop mechanism for the loom. So long as the detectors are held above thefeeler the electric circuit including the loom-stopping mechan ism willbe maintained open and the loom will continue to run; but as soon as anywarpthread breaks and the corresponding detector is struck by the feelerand brought into contact with the guard 25 the circuit is'closed and theloom-stopping mechanism set in operation to stop the 100111.

It will be noted that the feeler mechanism employed for eachharness-frame occupies a minimum space, and the feeler mechanism on anyone harness-frame does not interfere at all with the operation of theother harnessframe. Consequently this form of the inven-- tion can beused on a loom having a large number of harnessesTsuch, for instance, asa loom for weaving fancy goods.

While I have herein shown my warp stopmotion as adapted for use inconnection with an electric loom-stopping mechanism, it will be obviousthat with suitable modifications this invention may be adapted for usewith mechanical loom-stopping mechanism, and I desire the claims tocover the invention broadly, regardless of the particular form ofloom-stopping mechanism employed. It will be obvious, therefore, thatmany changes may be made in the construction of the parts withoutdeparting from the invention described in the appended claims.

I have not herein claimed, broadly, a warp stop-motion comprising avibrating feeler which cooperates with means associated with each of theordinary heddles of flexible materialsuch as twine, cord, &c.to stop theloom upon the breakage of a warp-thread, as this is illustrated andclaimed in my copending application, above referred to. In the presentapplication the feeler is operated entirely by the relative movement ofdifferent parts of the harness-frame without the interposition of anyoutside agencysuch as stationary racks, levers, &c.-and asI believe I amthe first to devise such a construction Idesire to claim it broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two parts movable with relationto each other as the shed is formed, a plurality of heddles carried byone part, a feeler carried by the other part, and a detector associatedwith each heddle and cooperating with thefeeler to stop the loom whenany warp-thread breaks.

2. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two parts movable with relationto each other as the shed is formed, a plurality of heddles I carried byone part, a feeler carried by the other part, means to vibrate thefeeler by movement of one part of the frame relative to the other, and adetector associated with each heddle and cooperating with the feeler tostop the loom when the corresponding warp-th read breaks.

3. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two parts movable with relationto each other as the shed is formed, a plurality of heddles carried byone part, a feeler carried by the other part, means to vibrate thefeeler by movement of one part of the frame relative to the other, and adetector associated with each heddle and cooperating with the feeler tostop the loom when the corresponding warp-thread breaks, said detectorsnormally being held out of the path of the feeler.

4. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two parts movable with relationto each other and yieldingly connected together, a plurality of heddlescarried by one part of said frame, a feeler carried by the other partthereof, a detector connected to each heddle, and means to actuate thefeeler by relative movement of the two parts of the frame, saiddetectors being held out of the path of the feeler by the tension of thewarp-threads.

5. In a loom, a harness-frame comprising two parts movable with relationto each other and yieldingly connected together, a plurality of heddlescarried by one part of said frame, a feeler carried by the other partthereof, a detector connected to each heddle, and means whereby saidfeeler is moved toward the detectors when the two parts of the framemove toward each other, said detectors at this time normally being heldout of the path of the feeler by the tension of the warp-threads.

6. In a fancy-loom, three or more harnessfrarnes each having a pluralityof heddles of feeler to stop the loom upon the breakage of thecorresponding warp-thread.

7. In a fancy-loom, three or more harnessframes each having a pluralityof heddles of flexible material, a feeler cooperating with eachharness-frame, means to vibrate each feeler by or through the movementsof the corresponding harness-frame, and independent means associatedwith each heddle to cooperate with the corresponding feeler to stop theloom when the warp-thread corresponding to said heddle is broken.

8. In a loom, a harness-frame having a plurality of heddles, a feeler,independent detectors associated with the heddles, and means to operatethe feeler entirely by the movements of the harness-frame.

9. In a loom, a harness-frame havingaplurality of heddles, independentdetectors associated with the heddles, a feeler carried by theharness-frame, and means whereby the feeler derives its movements solelyfrom the harnessframe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub- Witnesses:

LoUIs (J. SMITH, JOHN G. EDWARDS.

